Senior Business Partner

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Business Partner – Finance to join our Finance and Procurement directorate. In this role, you will lead the finance partnering service for your allocated business areas, ensuring managers and budget holders receive timely, accurate and relevant information that helps drive great decision-making, service improvement and cost efficiency.

Working closely with senior managers, you will provide proactive support on financial performance, helping to interpret cost and volume variances and identifying effective solutions to address them. You will also play a key part in annual budget preparation and longer-term business planning.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide a full business finance partner service to allocated areas and deputise for senior management when required.
• Deliver proactive financial support to managers and budget holders, helping them analyse and address variances.
• Prepare and report monthly performance, including actuals, forecasts and budgets, with clear supporting insight.
• Ensure accurate and timely variance analysis is completed and integrated into monthly reporting.
• Support annual budget submissions and the 30-year business plan, investigating variances ahead of deadlines.
• Advise colleagues on the accounting and analysis code structure, data quality, and support the maintenance of procurement and purchase order systems.
• Assist with operational financial analysis including tenders, risk analysis and contract efficiency reviews.
• Contribute to year-end statutory and audit requirements and participate in corporate projects, offering financial modelling expertise.

Why should I join LiveWest?

This is a fantastic opportunity to combine financial expertise with genuine business partnering. You will influence strategic decisions, work closely with senior stakeholders and support key operational services that make a real difference to customers. You will also join a supportive Finance team that values collaboration, continuous learning and flexible working — giving you space to grow, lead and develop in your field.

This is a full-time role working 37 hours per week. This role is offered on a fixed term basis; however, there is the potential for the position to become permanent in future, subject to organisational need. Hybrid Working is available for this role working 2–3 days in the office dependent on business need. You will be based from our Exeter office.

About The Candidate

To be successful in your application for the role of Senior Business Partner – Finance, you will have the essential skills and experience for a Level 3 role and the following role specific skills and experience.

Essential Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Excellent customer focus with the ability to improve satisfaction.
• Strong knowledge of financial accounting standards and legal requirements.
• Understanding of management accounting techniques and variance analysis.
• Ability to plan and control projects within strict time constraints.
• Skilled in analysing accounting data and identifying underlying business drivers.
• Ability to analyse processes for efficiency improvements and establish effective reporting mechanisms.
• Strong report-writing skills with high accuracy and attention to detail.
• Understanding of risk management and Value for Money principles.

Essential Qualifications

• Good level of literacy and numeracy.
• CCAB qualified (or qualified by experience).
• Proficient IT skills, including Microsoft Office and Advanced Excel.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Desirable Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Experience in social housing or a related profession.
• Proficient IT skills including Power BI and finance or housing management systems.

Desirable Qualifications

• Knowledge of Power BI and housing management systems.

Please note, we are unable to provide CoS for this role; therefore, applicants must have the right to work in the UK for the full duration of this role without requiring a CoS.